Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110110484 | Standing wave nuclear fission reactor and methods - Disclosed embodiments include nuclear fission reactor cores, nuclear fission reactors, methods of operating a nuclear fission reactor, and methods of managing excess reactivity in a nuclear fission reactor. | 05-12-2011 |
20110164712 | Standing wave nuclear fission reactor and methods - Disclosed embodiments include nuclear fission reactor cores, nuclear fission reactors, methods of operating a nuclear fission reactor, and methods of managing excess reactivity in a nuclear fission reactor. | 07-07-2011 |
20110164713 | Standing wave nuclear fission reactor and methods - Disclosed embodiments include nuclear fission reactor cores, nuclear fission reactors, methods of operating a nuclear fission reactor, and methods of managing excess reactivity in a nuclear fission reactor. | 07-07-2011 |
20110164714 | Standing wave nuclear fission reactor and methods - Disclosed embodiments include nuclear fission reactor cores, nuclear fission reactors, methods of operating a nuclear fission reactor, and methods of managing excess reactivity in a nuclear fission reactor. | 07-07-2011 |
20130168635 | MATERIALS AND CONFIGURATIONS OF A FIELD EMISSION DEVICE - A field emission device is configured as a heat engine. Different embodiments of the heat engine may have different configurations that may include a cathode, gate, suppressor, and anode arranged in different ways according to a particular embodiment. Different embodiments of the heat engine may also incorporate different materials in and/or proximate to the cathode, gate, suppressor, and anode. | 07-04-2013 |
20130169108 | ANODE WITH SUPPRESSOR GRID - A suppressor grid is configured proximate to an anode to produce a suppressor electric field selected to provide a force on an electron in a direction pointing away from the anode, wherein the suppressor electric field is further selected to pass electrons from the suppressor grid to the anode. | 07-04-2013 |
20130173233 | Enhanced Neutronics Systems - Illustrative embodiments provide for the operation and simulation of the operation of fission reactors, including the movement of materials within reactors. Illustrative embodiments and aspects include, without limitation, nuclear fission reactors and reactor modules, including modular nuclear fission reactors and reactor modules, nuclear fission deflagration wave reactors and reactor modules, modular nuclear fission deflagration wave reactors and modules, methods of operating nuclear reactors and modules including the aforementioned, methods of simulating operating nuclear reactors and modules including the aforementioned, and the like. | 07-04-2013 |
20130177120 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING REACTIVITY IN A NUCLEAR FISSION REACTOR, NUCLEAR FISSION REACTORS, AND METHODS OF FABRICATING A REACTIVITY CONTROL APPARATUS - Illustrative apparatuses, assemblies, and methods for controlling reactivity in a nuclear fission reactor are disclosed, illustrative nuclear fission reactors are disclosed, and illustrative methods for fabricating a reactivity control apparatus are disclosed. | 07-11-2013 |
20130221843 | FIELD EMISSION DEVICE WITH AC OUTPUT - A field emission device is configured as a heat engine with an AC output. | 08-29-2013 |
20130229105 | VARIABLE FIELD EMISSION DEVICE - A field emission device is configured as a heat engine, wherein the configuration of the heat engine is variable. | 09-05-2013 |
20130229133 | ADDRESSABLE ARRAY OF FIELD EMISSION DEVICES - Field emission devices are configured in addressable arrays. | 09-05-2013 |
20130313980 | EMBODIMENTS OF A FIELD EMISSION DEVICE - In one embodiment, the trajectory of one or more electrons is controlled in a field emission device. In another embodiment, the field emission device is configured analogously to a klystron. In another embodiment, the field emission device is configured with electrical circuitry selected to control the input and output of the device. | 11-28-2013 |
20140070696 | TIME-VARYING FIELD EMISSION DEVICE - A field emission device is configured as a heat engine, wherein the configuration of the heat engine is variable as a function of time. | 03-13-2014 |
20140136140 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING OVERHEAD LINE MOTION - A system for monitoring motion of an overhead line includes a monitoring device. The monitoring device includes an accelerometer and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to accept data from the accelerometer corresponding to line movement, analyze the data to determine displacement data corresponding to a displacement of the overhead line, accept data corresponding to a location of at least one external object proximate to the overhead line, and analyze the displacement data to determine a clearance from the at least one external object. | 05-15-2014 |
20140159590 | MATERIALS AND CONFIGURATIONS OF A FIELD EMISSION DEVICE - A field emission device is configured as a heat engine. Different embodiments of the heat engine may have different configurations that may include a cathode, gate, suppressor, and anode arranged in different ways according to a particular embodiment. Different embodiments of the heat engine may also incorporate different materials in and/or proximate to the cathode, gate, suppressor, and anode. | 06-12-2014 |
20140171749 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING ACQUISITION OF SENSOR INFORMATION - Systems and methods are described for controlling acquisition of sensor information, including: one or more condition sensors, one or more physiological sensors, and a computing device including a processor programmed to query the condition sensors to initiate measurement of one or more conditions of an individual relative to the one or more physiological sensors; receive a set of condition sensor values from the condition sensors; assign a predictive value to the set of condition sensors values; query at least one of the one or more physiological sensors to measure one or more physiological parameters of the individual if the assigned predictive value of the set of condition sensor values meets or exceeds a minimum predictive value threshold; and re-query at least one of the one or more condition sensors if the assigned predictive value of the set of condition sensors fails to meet or exceed the minimum predictive value threshold. | 06-19-2014 |
20140172310 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING ACQUISITION OF SENSOR INFORMATION - Systems and methods are described for controlling acquisition of sensor information, including: one or more physiological sensors and a computing device including a processor programmed to query the physiological sensors to measure one or more physiological parameters of an individual in response to at least one flag indicating a need to measure the one or more physiological parameters; receive a set of sensor values from the physiological sensors; assign a quality value to the set of sensor values received from the physiological sensors; retain the set of sensor values if the assigned quality value of the set of sensor values meets or exceeds a minimum quality value threshold; and update the at least one flag if the assigned quality value of the set of sensor values meets or exceeds the minimum quality value threshold. | 06-19-2014 |
20140174085 | HEAT ENGINE - An improved heat engine is disclosed. The heat engine comprises at least one heat pipe containing a working fluid flowing in a thermal cycle between vapor phase at an evaporator end and liquid phase at a condenser end. Heat pipe configurations for high-efficiency/high-performance heat engines are disclosed. The heat pipe may have an improved capillary structure configuration with characteristic pore sizes between 1μ and 1 nm (e.g. formed through nano- or micro-fabrication techniques) and a continuous or stepwise gradient in pore size along the capillary flow direction. The heat engine may have an improved generator assembly configuration that comprises an expander (e.g. rotary/turbine or reciprocating piston machine) and generator along with magnetic bearings, magnetic couplings and/or magnetic gearing. The expander-generator may be wholly or partially sealed within the heat pipe. A heat engine system (e.g. individual heat engine or array of heat engines in series and/or in parallel) for conversion of thermal energy to useful work (including heat engines operating from a common heat source) is also disclosed. The system can be installed in a vehicle or facility to generate electricity. | 06-26-2014 |
20140174086 | HEAT ENGINE SYSTEM - An improved heat engine is disclosed. The heat engine comprises at least one heat pipe containing a working fluid flowing in a thermal cycle between vapor phase at an evaporator end and liquid phase at a condenser end. Heat pipe configurations for high-efficiency/high-performance heat engines are disclosed. The heat pipe may have an improved capillary structure configuration with characteristic pore sizes between 1μ and 1 nm (e.g. formed through nano- or micro-fabrication techniques) and a continuous or stepwise gradient in pore size along the capillary flow direction. The heat engine may have an improved generator assembly configuration that comprises an expander (e.g. rotary/turbine or reciprocating piston machine) and generator along with magnetic bearings, magnetic couplings and/or magnetic gearing. The expander-generator may be wholly or partially sealed within the heat pipe. A heat engine system (e.g. individual heat engine or array of heat engines in series and/or in parallel) for conversion of thermal energy to useful work (including heat engines operating from a common heat source) is also disclosed. The system can be installed in a vehicle or facility to generate electricity. | 06-26-2014 |
20140174701 | Heat Pipe - An improved heat engine is disclosed. The heat engine comprises at least one heat pipe containing a working fluid flowing in a thermal cycle between vapor phase at an evaporator end and liquid phase at a condenser end. Heat pipe configurations for high-efficiency/high-performance heat engines are disclosed. The heat pipe may have an improved capillary structure configuration with characteristic pore sizes between 1μ and 1 nm (e.g. formed through nano- or micro-fabrication techniques) and a continuous or stepwise gradient in pore size along the capillary flow direction. The heat engine may have an improved generator assembly configuration that comprises an expander (e.g. rotary/turbine or reciprocating piston machine) and generator along with magnetic bearings, magnetic couplings and/or magnetic gearing. The expander-generator may be wholly or partially sealed within the heat pipe. A heat engine system (e.g. individual heat engine or array of heat engines in series and/or in parallel) for conversion of thermal energy to useful work (including heat engines operating from a common heat source) is also disclosed. The system can be installed in a vehicle or facility to generate electricity. | 06-26-2014 |
20140175876 | Ad Hoc Wireless Sensor Package - Systems, methods, computer-readable storage mediums including computer-readable instructions and/or circuitry for control of transmission to a target device with communicating with one or more sensors in an ad-hoc sensor network may implement operations including, but not limited to: generating electrical power from at least one ambient source via at least one structurally integrated electromagnetic transducer; powering at least one transmitter via the electrical power to wirelessly transmit one or more sensor operation activation signals to one or more sensors; and at least one of powering one or more sensing operations of one or more sensors via the electrical power or charging one or more power storage devices electrically coupled to the one or more sensors via the electrical power. | 06-26-2014 |
20140176061 | Ad-hoc Wireless Sensor Package - Systems, methods, computer-readable storage mediums including computer-readable instructions and/or circuitry for control of transmission to a target device with communicating with one or more sensors in an ad-hoc sensor network may implement operations including, but not limited to: generating electrical power from at least one ambient source via at least one transducer; powering at least one transmitter via the electrical power from at least one ambient source to wirelessly transmit one or more sensor operation activation signals to one or more sensors; and at least one of powering one or more sensing operations of the one or more sensors or charging one or more power storage devices of the one or more sensors via the one or more sensor operation activation signals. | 06-26-2014 |
20140176343 | Ad-hoc Wireless Sensor Package - Systems, methods, computer-readable storage mediums including computer-readable instructions and/or circuitry for control of transmission to a target device with communicating with one or more sensors in an ad-hoc sensor network may implement operations including, but not limited to: obtaining location data associated with a portion of a region including at least one sensor; wirelessly transmitting one or more sensor operation activation signals to one or more sensors; and powering one or more sensing operations of a sensor via the one or more sensor operation activation signals. | 06-26-2014 |
20140177524 | Ad-Hoc Wireless Sensor Package - Systems, methods, computer-readable storage mediums including computer-readable instructions and/or circuitry for control of transmission to a target device with communicating with one or more sensors in an ad-hoc sensor network may implement operations including, but not limited to: receiving one or more wireless signals associated with a sensing capability status of at least one sensor; wirelessly transmitting one or more sensor operation activation signals to one or more sensors according to the sensing capability status of the at least one sensor; and at least one of powering one or more sensing operations of the at least one sensor and charging one or more power storage devices of the at least one sensor via the one or more sensor operation activation signals. | 06-26-2014 |
20140180628 | Ad-hoc Wireless Sensor Package - Systems, methods, computer-readable storage mediums including computer-readable instructions and/or circuitry for communicating with one or more sensors in an ad-hoc sensor network may implement operations including, but not limited to: receiving one or more wireless signals indicative of a presence of a sensor within a portion of a region to be monitored; storing location data associated with the portion of the region to be monitored; and wirelessly transmitting one or more sensor operation activation signals to one or more sensors according to the location data. | 06-26-2014 |
20140180630 | Ad-hoc Wireless Sensor Package - Systems, methods, computer-readable storage mediums including computer-readable instructions and/or circuitry for control of transmission to a target device with communicating with one or more sensors in an ad-hoc sensor network may implement operations including, but not limited to: receiving electrical power via at least one structurally integrated electrically conductive element; and powering one or more sensing operations of one or more sensors via the electrical power. | 06-26-2014 |
20140180639 | Ad-hoc Wireless Sensor Package - Systems, methods, computer-readable storage mediums including computer-readable instructions and/or circuitry for control of transmission to a target device with communicating with one or more sensors in an ad-hoc sensor network may implement operations including, but not limited to: wirelessly transmitting one or more sensor operation activation signals to one or more sensors according to one or more transmission authorization parameters; and powering one or more sensing operations of a sensor via the one or more sensor operation activation signals. | 06-26-2014 |
20140185734 | FUEL ASSEMBLY - Disclosed embodiments include fuel ducts, fuel assemblies, methods of making fuel ducts, methods of making a fuel assembly, and methods of using a fuel assembly. | 07-03-2014 |
20140199455 | DRY STEAM OVENS - A method of cooking a food item includes supporting a food item having multiple cooking sites, providing a jet of dry steam from a steam nozzle, determining a targeted subset of the cooking sites, and dynamically moving the food item or the steam nozzle so that the jet of dry steam is directed onto the targeted subset of the cooking sites. | 07-17-2014 |
20140232662 | COMPUTING DEVICE HAVING A HAND CLEANLINESS SENSOR - Described embodiments include a computing device. The computing device includes a touch-sensitive screen configured to accept an input from a hand of a person based upon a touch contact. The computing device includes a cleanliness sensor configured to detect an indicator of a pathogen present on the hand of the person contacting the touch-sensitive screen or present on the other hand of the person. The computing device includes a cleanliness notification circuit configured to output a signal responsive to the detected indicator of a pathogen. | 08-21-2014 |
20140234009 | WRITING IMPLEMENT SENSING A USER'S HAND CLEANLINESS - Described embodiments include a device. The device includes a hand-holdable housing carrying a writing element, a cleanliness sensor, and a cleanliness notification circuit. The device includes the writing element configured to form a mark on a surface in response to a touch or movement of the writing element with respect to the surface. The device includes the cleanliness sensor configured to detect an indicator of a pathogen present on a hand of a person holding the hand-holdable housing. The device includes the cleanliness notification circuit configured to output a signal responsive to the detected indicator of a pathogen on the hand of the person. | 08-21-2014 |
20140267176 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PARALLAX COMPENSATION - An electronic device may include a touch screen electronic display configured to offset and/or shift the contact locations of touch implements and/or displayed content based on one or more calculated parallax values. The parallax values may be associated with the viewing angle of an operator relative to the display of the electronic device. In various embodiments, the parallax value(s) may be calculated using three-dimensional location sensors, an angle of inclination of a touch implement, and/or one or more displayed calibration objects. Parallax values may be utilized to remap contact locations by a touch implement, shift and/or offset displayed content, and/or perform other transformations as described herein. A stereoscopically displayed content may be offset such that a default display plane is coplanar with a touch surface rather than a display surface. Contacts by a finger may be remapped using portions of the contact region and/or a centroid of the contact region. | 09-18-2014 |
20140267177 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PARALLAX COMPENSATION - An electronic device may include a touch screen electronic display configured to offset and/or shift the contact locations of touch implements and/or displayed content based on one or more calculated parallax values. The parallax values may be associated with the viewing angle of an operator relative to the display of the electronic device. In various embodiments, the parallax value(s) may be calculated using three-dimensional location sensors, an angle of inclination of a touch implement, and/or one or more displayed calibration objects. Parallax values may be utilized to remap contact locations by a touch implement, shift and/or offset displayed content, and/or perform other transformations as described herein. A stereoscopically displayed content may be offset such that a default display plane is coplanar with a touch surface rather than a display surface. Contacts by a finger may be remapped using portions of the contact region and/or a centroid of the contact region. | 09-18-2014 |
20140267178 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PARALLAX COMPENSATION - An electronic device may include a touch screen electronic display configured to offset and/or shift the contact locations of touch implements and/or displayed content based on one or more calculated parallax values. The parallax values may be associated with the viewing angle of an operator relative to the display of the electronic device. In various embodiments, the parallax value(s) may be calculated using three-dimensional location sensors, an angle of inclination of a touch implement, and/or one or more displayed calibration objects. Parallax values may be utilized to remap contact locations by a touch implement, shift and/or offset displayed content, and/or perform other transformations as described herein. A stereoscopically displayed content may be offset such that a default display plane is coplanar with a touch surface rather than a display surface. Contacts by a finger may be remapped using portions of the contact region and/or a centroid of the contact region. | 09-18-2014 |
20140267179 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PARALLAX COMPENSATION - An electronic device may include a touch screen electronic display configured to offset and/or shift the contact locations of touch implements and/or displayed content based on one or more calculated parallax values. The parallax values may be associated with the viewing angle of an operator relative to the display of the electronic device. In various embodiments, the parallax value(s) may be calculated using three-dimensional location sensors, an angle of inclination of a touch implement, and/or one or more displayed calibration objects. Parallax values may be utilized to remap contact locations by a touch implement, shift and/or offset displayed content, and/or perform other transformations as described herein. A stereoscopically displayed content may be offset such that a default display plane is coplanar with a touch surface rather than a display surface. Contacts by a finger may be remapped using portions of the contact region and/or a centroid of the contact region. | 09-18-2014 |
20140267184 | Multimode Stylus - A stylus for use as an input device automatically switches its mode of operation. | 09-18-2014 |
20140333213 | FIELD EMISSION DEVICE WITH AC OUTPUT - A field emission device is configured as a heat engine with an AC output. | 11-13-2014 |
20140341331 | NUCLEAR FUEL ASSEMBLY DESIGN - A duct for a nuclear fuel assembly includes a tubular body and an elongated member. The tubular body has a sidewall with an inner face and an outer face and is configured to contain nuclear fuel within a fuel region. The elongated member extends from the outer face along at least a portion of the fuel region and has a contact surface configured to stabilize the duct during operation of the nuclear fuel assembly. | 11-20-2014 |
20140349629 | MOBILE DEVICE THAT ACTIVATES UPON REMOVAL FROM STORAGE - A mobile device includes a motion sensor configured to acquire motion data, a light sensor configured to detect an ambient light level and generate light data, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive the motion data from the motion sensor, receive the light data from the light sensor, analyze the motion data to determine displacement data corresponding to a displacement of the mobile device, analyze the light data to detect a light transition, and analyze the displacement data and the light transition to determine whether to initiate an action. | 11-27-2014 |
20140349631 | MOBILE DEVICE THAT ACTIVATES UPON REMOVAL FROM STORAGE - A mobile device includes a motion sensor configured to acquire motion data, a light sensor configured to detect an ambient light level and generate light data, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive the motion data from the motion sensor, receive the light data from the light sensor, analyze the motion data to determine displacement data corresponding to a displacement of the mobile device, analyze the light data to detect a light transition, and analyze the displacement data and the light transition to determine whether to initiate an action. | 11-27-2014 |
20140349632 | MOBILE DEVICE THAT ACTIVATES UPON REMOVAL FROM STORAGE - A mobile device includes a motion sensor configured to acquire motion data, a light sensor configured to detect an ambient light level and generate light data, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive the motion data from the motion sensor, receive the light data from the light sensor, analyze the motion data to determine displacement data corresponding to a displacement of the mobile device, analyze the light data to detect a light transition, and analyze the displacement data and the light transition to determine whether to initiate an action. | 11-27-2014 |
20150034198 | PIPELINE LEAK SEALING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method for sealing a leak in a pipeline used to transport fluid includes positioning a sealing device within the pipeline, moving the sealing device through the pipeline to a leak location, and internally generating an inflation pressure to inflate the sealing device to substantially cover a leak opening and limit release of the fluid from the pipeline. | 02-05-2015 |
20150063088 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ATOMIC FILM DATA STORAGE - The present disclosure provides systems and methods associated with data storage using atomic films, such as graphene, boron nitride, or silicene. A platter assembly may include at least one platter that has one or more substantially planar surfaces. One or more layers of a monolayer atomic film, such as graphene, may be positioned on a planar surface. Data may be stored on the atomic film using one or more vacancies, dopants, defects, and/or functionalized groups (presence or lack thereof) to represent one of a plurality of states in a multi-state data representation model, such as a binary, a ternary, or another base N data storage model. A read module may detect the vacancies, dopants, and/or functionalized groups (or a topographical feature resulting therefrom) to read the data stored on the atomic film. | 03-05-2015 |
20150066345 | VEHICLE COLLISION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM RESPONSIVE TO USER-SELECTED PREFERENCES - Described embodiments include a system, method, and vehicle. A system includes a collision management algorithm that includes preferences utilizable in determining a management of a possible collision between a collision-managed vehicle and an external object. A preference includes a vehicle collision management preference inputted by a human user of the collision-managed vehicle. The system includes a damage mitigation circuit configured to determine in at least substantially real time a collision mitigation strategy applicable to the collision-managed vehicle. The collision mitigation strategy is determined in response to (i) the collision management algorithm with the inputted vehicle collision management preference incorporated therein, and (ii) a predicted likelihood of a collision between the collision-managed vehicle and a particular external object. The system includes an instruction generator circuit configured to generate collision management instruction responsive to the determined collision mitigation strategy. | 03-05-2015 |
20150066346 | VEHICLE COLLISION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM RESPONSIVE TO A SITUATION OF AN OCCUPANT OF AN APPROACHING VEHICLE - Described embodiments include a system, method, and vehicle. A system includes a collision management algorithm utilizable in determining a management of a possible collision between a collision-managed vehicle and an approaching vehicle. The collision management algorithm is responsive to sensor-acquired data descriptive or indicative of at least one occupant of the approaching vehicle. The system includes a damage mitigation circuit configured to determine in at least substantially real time a collision mitigation strategy applicable to the collision-managed vehicle. The collision mitigation strategy is determined in response to (i) the collision management algorithm, (ii) sensor-acquired data descriptive or indicative of at least one occupant of the approaching vehicle, and (iii) a predicted likelihood of a collision between the collision-managed vehicle and the approaching vehicle. The system includes an instruction generator circuit configured to generate a collision management instruction responsive to the determined collision mitigation strategy. | 03-05-2015 |
20150067707 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ATOMIC FILM DATA STORAGE - The present disclosure provides systems and methods associated with data storage using atomic films, such as graphene, boron nitride, or silicene. A platter assembly may include at least one platter that has one or more substantially planar surfaces. One or more layers of a monolayer atomic film, such as graphene, may be positioned on a planar surface. Data may be stored on the atomic film using one or more vacancies, dopants, defects, and/or functionalized groups (presence or lack thereof) to represent one of a plurality of states in a multi-state data representation model, such as a binary, a ternary, or another base N data storage model. A read module may detect the vacancies, dopants, and/or functionalized groups (or a topographical feature resulting therefrom) to read the data stored on the atomic film. | 03-05-2015 |
20150075282 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING OVERHEAD LINE MOTION - A system for monitoring motion of an overhead line includes a monitoring device. The monitoring device includes an accelerometer and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to accept data from the accelerometer corresponding to line movement, analyze the data to determine displacement data corresponding to a displacement of the overhead line, accept data corresponding to a location of at least one external object proximate to the overhead line, and analyze the displacement data to determine a clearance from the at least one external object. | 03-19-2015 |